The Institut Pasteur d’Algérie co-constructs solutions for public health in the country
Under the aegis of the Algerian Ministry of Health, the Institut Pasteur d’Algérie organized an information day on influenza surveillance and vaccination strategy on Thursday April 17, 2025, in the wilaya of Constantine, for coordinating physicians, epidemiologists, infectiologists and general practitioners, from the wilayas of eastern Algeria. The event was led by Prof. Fawzi Derrar, Director General of the Institute, Dr. Nassim Ayad, Head of the Institute’s Modeling and Biostatistics Laboratory, Dr. Samia Hammadi, Director of Prevention at the Ministry of Health, and epidemiologist Dr. Naziha Atoui.
Dr Ayad first presented an overview of the virological data for the 2024-2025 season (strengths/weaknesses), with modelling tests. Then Pr Derrar presented the experience of the Institut Pasteur d’Algérie’s vaccination strategy, with its ups and downs.
This was followed by a debate with the participants. The main goal was to enable those working in the field to express their constraints as exhaustively as possible, from seemingly intractable difficulties to concrete proposals for action. The latter can only come from those involved in the day-to-day management and coordination of surveillance and vaccination activities.
Health is not a product
The attention shown by everyone at the end of the day, and the motivation conveyed by the participation of colleagues, served as a reminder of certain fundamentals of human resources and leadership, such as active listening, cognitive and emotional biases between and within generations, thinking through complexity, and managing change (in a global health context).
We’re not talking about the service market, or commercial or industrial products, but about the health of each and every one of us, public health, whose profit and loss statement doesn’t show you a quantified net result (well-being) or taxes or other levies that could be used to treat or prevent: the benefit is none other than the lives of the people concerned!
The bottom line is that all these players, and others to come, are the heritage of our healthcare system.
This article is adapted from a press release from the Institut Pasteur d’Algérie.
